Volkanovski Confirms Next Move After UFC 333 Win

Alexander Volkanovski defended his featherweight title with a second-round TKO of Movsar Evloev at UFC 333 in Abu Dhabi on Saturday, and the division's future is now wide open.

Volkanovski weathered early questions about his form by breaking Evloev with his jab and power in the second round, according to BJPenn.com. The finish came with seconds remaining in the frame, handing Evloev the first loss of his career. In the co-main event, Petr Yan defended his bantamweight belt by decision over Merab Dvalishvili in a trilogy fight that ranked among the year's best scraps.

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Volkanovski's Lightweight Plans After Defending Belt

The featherweight champion now has options. He could retire, defend at 145 again, or move up to lightweight. BJPenn.com's assessment is that Volkanovski should face Justin Gaethje for the lightweight title in what could serve as a double retirement fight for both men. Another report suggests Volkanovski is also considering a rematch with Ilia Topuria at lightweight to test himself before hanging up the gloves.

Evloev will need to rebuild after the loss. A bout with Youssef Zalal is reportedly being discussed as a logical next step, with the winner climbing back into title contention and the loser settling into gatekeeper status.

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Yan's victory sets up a potential rematch with Sean O'Malley, who holds a split-decision win over the Russian from October 2022. Dvalishvili appeared to fade in the final three rounds after controlling the early pace and will likely face Mario Bautista in a title eliminator.

Volkanovski's decision on weight class is expected before year's end.

Reported via:

• BJPenn — What’s next for the stars of UFC 333?